EAA Chapter 25

Received from Steve Buss, EAA Manager of Chapters:

I am writing today to share with you the latest information on the controversial TSA Security Directive (1542-08F).  The directive, which has a June 1 implementation date, applies to airports where general aviation operations coexist with scheduled airline service, even where the airline service is minimal.

Details of this TSA directive started coming to light late last year, as airport officials began advising airport users to prepare for security changes.  Since then, EAA has partnered with AOPA, NBAA, GAMA and others to voice concern and raise awareness on The Hill.

We believe the measures are unnecessary, don’t enhance national security, are costly, impractical, and threaten general aviation activity.

We all have objected to the way TSA is handling this situation. TSA packaged the new requirements as a security directive (think of it as a secret internal memo) to airport managers instead of allowing public input and comment.

Because of this secretive approach, we don’t have all the details of the program. However, enough of the pieces have come together and we have a feel for the major provisions. If adopted in full by the beginning of next month, the directive would:

• apply only to airports that have commercial airline service, even those with minimal airline operations and those where commercial and general aviation operations are already well-segregated;
• institute background checks and require I.D. badges for all aircraft operators, passengers and related personnel based at these airports, including general aviation airport users;
• require anyone who does not have an airport-issued I.D. to have an authorized escort, even at airports that are sparsely staffed; and
• * leave specific implementation methods and details to each respective airport, resulting in a lack of standardization of airport-security policies, procedures, and protocols.

EAA government affairs representatives continue to press the aviation community’s concerns with the TSA, with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, and with key legislative contacts in influential Capitol Hill committees.

Our objections to the directive include:

• It’s redundant. FAA already has extensive information of general aviation aircraft owners and operators.
• It’s inflexible. The major directive requirements apply similar requirements at small, remote airports and much busier, high-traffic airports, even though the security needs are likely very different. It appears that the directive would also treat the security sensitivity of different areas of the airport uniformly, even though these areas may have quite different security considerations.
• Its required practices are not standardized. Whereas the major requirements discussed above are too inflexible, at the other end of the spectrum the details regarding how to implement these provisions are at the discretion of each individual airport. The burden will lie with owners and operators to track the differences. (TSA indicates, however, that the background checks and badge requirements would not apply to transient aircraft.)

Our goal is to convince the TSA to explore alternatives that would address their objectives without suppressing general aviation activity and your access to general aviation airports.

We have provided this information to keep you and your fellow Chapter members informed on this issue.  EAA, along with other aviation groups, continue to work to preserve airport access and the future of general aviation.

If you or your members have additional questions about this issue or other government-related issues facing aviation, please visit our web site at http://www.eaa.org/govt.

Sincerely,
Steve Buss
Manager, EAA Chapters